Timex Sinclair Users Group Mile High Chapter

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C/O CURT CAPLSON 601 S. GRANT ST. DENVER, CO. 90209

(29) 733-4391

MHTSUS aeetings are usually the 4th Saturday of the aonth,
NEXT MEETING Saturday August 17, 1991 2 PM

at the address listed above.

MHTSUG maintains a sub-board on THE KINGS MARKET RBS.
(303) 665-6091, Q-1-N, Accessible through PC-Pursuit.
MENU SELECTIONS TO SET T0 THE SUB-BOARD ARE,
(1) CONTENTS
(2) INTERESTS & USERS GROUPS
(3) TIMEX-SINCLATR
Seraral messages for club aeabers are addressed to "ALL"

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FROM INTERNATIONAL QL REPORT VOL 1. No. 1

This is their inaugural issue. Published by SeaCoast
Services, Robert Dyl, Sr., Editor. It will appear 4 to 6
tines a year, at a cost of $3.00/ issue or $10.00 in the
UuS./Yr.
MIRACLE GOLD CARD.
Miracle Systeas of U.K. announced the first shipments of
their new SUPER interface, The GOLD CARD fits within the
QL’s expansion port, the CMCS coaponents generate very
little heat and consuae ainiaua power. A 68000 14 bit
processor operating at 14 aegahertz utilizes its own 16 bit
zero wait RAM, claiaing to be between 3 and 4 tines the
speed of the original QL without the interface. The card has
a real tiae clock with battery, 2 Megabytes of memory, a
disk drive interface and Tool Kit II. Up to 3 drives of any
combination (720K-1.44Mbyte-3.2Mbyte) can be accessed.

Development of a GRAPHICS CARD is reported to be
underway. The GOLD CARD is said to be compatable with the
TRUMP CARD so previous files and data will be usable.

MINERVA ROM UPGRADE

AYIEN announced its latest version of its ROM upgrade,
Version {.89, incorporating a Realtime Clock with bufer, 12C
BUS Interface.

INTERGROUP FREEWARE EXCHANGE

SINCLAIR QL USER CLUB e.v. (SOLUC) of Sermany,
announced the establishsent of a library open to QL users
groups worldwide, A 15DM average fee is required, plus
freeware submittions. The present library exceeds 38
Megabytes on 160 disks.

"QL SURVIVORS SOURCE BOOK", is a project of SeaCoast QL
Users Group. Available from UPDATE MAGAZINE, for $5.00 plus

$2.00 shipping.

OL KEYBOARD 90 INTERFACE froa COMPUTER TECKNIK one version
requires that the 8049 IC be removed and reinstalled on the
new board and plug the interface into the OL’s 8049 socket,
a cable then feeds out to the expansion slot.

The second version has an external box containing the
interface, the 8049 IC still aust be relocated onto the
interface. Any PC style keyboard can then be connected to
the interface. Group orders can be aade to save on handling
fees and perhaps postage.

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A Letter dated August 2. 1991 from Williaa J. Pedersen was
received along with some very iapressive Mandelbrot graphic
screen printouts and a deao disk. The deao disk shows what
the WIDJUP Co. has---

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TS BULLETIN by Bill Harmer

Back issues and July,!991 publication, now in MHTSU6
library. With seven articles; DEC PDP=8 OS influence on
todays coaputing. Sinclair Prograeaing Notes - Making A
Comsand Line Interface. Terminals From Beginning To End.
Fixing The Loose Jack Problea on the 2X81/TS1000. Sinclair
Hews & Views, Updates. ASCII Questions Answered. Editorial.

TXir QLive Alive (Timex/Sinclair NorthAserican User Groups
Newsletter) €/0 Don Laabert, ZXir QLive Alive! Newsletter,
1301 Kiblinger Pl., Auburn, IN 46706. Suarer 1991 issue
contains any news iteas, vender addresses, hardware
aodifications and tips, reviews and ads.

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SLIX (Sinclair Information eXchange)
Williaa W. Miller, Cupertino, California, brought attention
to an error in the last MHTSUG Newsletter.

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CORRECTION

In, Mail Received, an incorrect address appeared for Robin
Stevenson. The correct address is:

R. J. Stevenson

Kairos Coaputer Solutions

552 Bradgate Road

Newtown Linford

Leicestershire

LEG OHB

ENGLAND.

Thank You for pointing out the error. | apologize for not
catching that in proofing.

I also will include Dr.Bhatti’s address for those interested
in responding to his efforts in beginning a, "Mega-Super@L*,

project.

Dr. Schail S. Bhatti
4 Wasdale Avenue
Park View

Blackburn BBI 1XD
ENGLAND

MILE HIGH TIMEX SINCLAIR USERS GROUP NERS

MHTSUS July 27th MEETING/FAIR. By Curt Car] son

Last gonth’s meeting started at 5 P.M. instead of 2 P.M. as
planned, and adjourned at 1:30 A.M. All those present were
overwhelmed at all the Timex/Sinclair related hardware,
software and advanced tectinology Andy Hradesky had collected
and presented. Everything from his Sinclair watch radio and
flat screen TY to the QL was shown. This included a 2X80,
1281/781000, TS2068, PS20498, OL (U.S. aad British version),
anc disk drives, stringy floppies, etc. The Portugese and
British versions were examined and compared with the
Awerican production units, It was clearly obvious that aany
jumper wires, tacked on modifications and FCC required
changes gade the domestic versions look like prototype
units,

Several original Timex/Sinclair users were present, some
have joined the Amega and Apple camp, but couldn’t pass up
the chance toattend this meeting. All present were very
impressed with the Q@L’s capabilities. Andy Hradesky, fros
Colcraéo Springs, had loaded his new Saturn vehicle to the
headliner with just SOME of his T/S collection anc drove
over 69 giles north to ay house for the eeeting. Others had
come 40 miles froe the foothills and 60 miles north fros Ft.
Collins. Many of the users have hac their minds turned by
Tinex/Sinclair computers for years, (even as far back as 2X80
and MICROACE kits), yet everyone still found many new and
exciting things continuing in the support and advancement of
all Sinclair related computing. So auch is hre and
available in the way of sharing great knowledge, finding
resources and offering help to everyone. Those that could
not be there last month, will learn that they missed, “The

Show of Shows".

This month’s meeting will bring forth a purpose and
structure for future meetings. Tiae will be scheduled to
deronstrate some of the 2X81/TS1000 high resolution graphic
capabilities and the 12068 Video Digitizing will also
present some interesting graphic displays. See you there. -
CTE-

THE 2968 VIDEC DIGITIZER by Curt Carlson

Last aonth ] tried to show what can be done with the
Digitizer circuit and two sources of software to run it.
Every software programa, (aaong all else in this world), has
lisitations, and the writer also had liaitations to work
with when developing the software, so we as the end user
aust gake the aost of what we get and maybe improve on it
ourselves.

Both the 2058 and dot matrix printers define the smallest
single dark or light image attainable as a pixel. In

„digitizing with the 2068 it is the problem of the software

to simulate using only pixels to represent a scanned video
iaage. The original scanned iaage is not usually a pattern
uf dots, but a series of stacked tines af various shades of
light or dark and most likely containing a color or hue. To
siqulate this shading requires a group of pixels foraing a
pattern, that when viewed at a distance, appear to blend
into a shade of gray or if the dots are of different colors
blend into a certain hue and density of color. Some groups
of pixels, produced by the program, actually fora PATTERNS
that require extra effort by the viewer to blend. The
patterns formed often look like the weave and warp of cloth.
Any repeated pattern can easily be viewed by the human eye.
Therefore a good prograa aust generate the viewed gray scale
by grouping the pixel dots to avoid a visible pattern. This
can be done by selecting dark pixels along the edge of the
group to only coincide with light pixels. If two or more
dots are placed together, then the eye will see the cluster
as a larger dot.

] just received a letter and enclosed DEMO froa Williaa J.
Pedersen, “which prints out to any EPSON compatible
printer", a auch more iaproved graphic display using the
752068. The WIDJUP Co. has a prograa to generate 14 shades
of gray using a grouping of 16 pixels called, “GIXELS", by
Mr. Pedersen. I have not been able to run the DEMO yet, but
will do so before next acnth and let you know what it is

like. -CTC-